Convertible coach and sleeper



Nov. 30, 1937. w MARTW ET 2,100,607

CONVERTIBLE COACH AND SLEEPER Filed Oct. 1-5, 1935 e Sheets-Sheet 2 .I/VVE/VTORS jrzkw' f. Leiznmmz Louis A! Marina ALM 4M jTTOR/VEY Nov 30, 1937. L. w. MARTIN ET AL 2,100,607

CONVERTIBLE COACH AND SLEEPER Filed Oct. 15, '1955 SM E Q M 7 v. s N m/ .m hv mmu w. Q Q m 77 a I M if j j j R h O 1937- L. w. MARTIN ET AL CONVERTIBLE COACH AND SLEEPER Filed Oct. 15, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 #wavnms 24227220 5 Leizma lm uz's M/Varizrz. BY

/977'0RNY 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 flrz'arilelzmaim L. w. MARTIN ET AL 7 Filed Oct.

u nuuul l finul INVENTORS 1 outs h. flarzz'rz jrrokmsv lllllol l-IIIOIII CONVERTIBLE COACH AND SLEEPER Nov. 30, 1937.

Nov. 30, 1937.. I. L. w; MARTIN ET AL 2,100,607

CONVERTIBLE COACH AND SLEEPER Filed Oct. 15, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS rilz ur.*l.elzma rm igg gzs M Narim ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f CONVERTIBLE COACH AND SLEEPER Application October 15, 1935, Serial No. 45,072

17 Claims.

This invention relates to railway passenger cars in general and in particular to that type of car which may be used as either a day coach, parlor car or as a sleeper when desired.

The conventional Pullman or sleeping car as constructed is excessively heavy and is under present decreased traihc operated at a loss. The usual sleeper is seldom filled and very often the upper berths are unoccupied which, of course, increases the loss of the railroads due to the needless. weight hauled. Also the Pullman car during the daytime is unattractive and compares very unfavorably with the present modern type of cars.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a railway car which may follow closely the present light weight, attractively decorated day coach, yet which may, when it is so desired,

be converted into a sleeper.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a railway car in which provision is made for the carrying and application of folding light weight partitions.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a railway car similar in appearance and appointments to the usual day coach, yet which may be converted into either a sleeper or a compartment car.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a railway car of the day coach type in which any desired portion or portions may be used for sleeping purposes.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved type of seat especially adapted for use in a day coach for conversion into a sleeper.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved arrangement of seat parts for a sleeper in order that dressing space is provided between the bed and curtain.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparentto one sldlled in the art from a study of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevational view of a portion of the improved car when made up for use as a sleeper;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the car as intended for day use;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional View of the improved car showing on the left the car adapted for day use, while on the right the car is made up for use as a sleeper in which dressing space is provided adjacent the curtain;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the seats shown on the 5 right hand side of Fig. 3 and shows quite clearly the dressing space available with the improved 1-1 of Fig. 5 and shows the bed supportingshelf;

Fig. 8 is an elevational view showing the relation of the parts when the partition'is separatedand folded for storage;

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 5 and shows the relation of the partition to the storage bins;

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the removable tain rod and partition steadying device;

Fig. '11 is a side elevational view of a seat and shows the manner of supporting theseat backs when the berth is made up;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the back supporting element used in making up the berth;

Fig. 13 is a plan view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a modification in which the pipe rail type of.

seat is used, and

Fig. 14 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 12

and showing the back supporting element adapted for use with the seats of Fig. 13.

Referring now to the several drawings in detail and first to Figs. 1 to 12 inclusive, the car A is shown as of the monitor deck type built with the conventional framing structure and includ ing the air conditioning duct 13. The walkover seats C are formed with the two part backs D and closed type ends E. Storage bins F are provided adjacent the half deck and form part of the interior finish of the car, while short'length baggage racks G are positioned on the side wall below the bins and above the windows H.

The seats as stated are of the walkover type provided with cushions 2 and a back formed of a lower part 4 having grooved side members 5 adapted to interlock with projections on back supporting bars 6 which carry a pivoted top back portion 8. The part 4 is readily removed by rotating the portion 8 into the shelf position shown at the right of Fig. 1 and then lifting the lowerpart slightly to disengage the projectionsafter which it may be pulled out from between the bars. The sides of the seat are joined by a pressed member ID arched upwardly to provide additional baggage room as well as to form an extended bearing portion for the seat cushion which is carried at its ends on slide bars 12 having cushion engaging projections Hl. V

Due to the difference of thickness between the backs and cushions it is necessary to provide a supporting member I6 (Fig. 12) having a base portion 18 suitably formed to fit the pressing l0 and engage the slide bars and the projections thereon. The upwardly extending part 20 has a ledge 22 and upstanding flange 24 provided with inclined elements 26. The ledge and elements 26 are provided to support and interlock with por-' tions 5 of the seat back as clearly shown in Fig. 12.

retained by spring clip 40. The part'T is formed with a lower part 42 to which is hinged the upper part 44 and each is provided along one edge with a channel receptacle 46 which fits over the outer edge of part S and firmly holds the two in vertical position due to the staggered relation of the hinge connections. Top and bottom locks 36 and supporting brackets 38 are also provided which are similar in purpose to those previously described.

The top portion of part 44 is cut to conform to the permanent partition 34 and is provided with plates 48 adapted to receive the ends of curtain rods J. 7

The curtain rods, Fig. 10 adapted to support curtains W; are formed of metal tubing 50 closed by caps 52 through which are extended rods 54 having head portions 56 adapted, when extended, to engage plates 48 of the partition. The inner end of the shaft carries a nut 58 forming an abutment for spring 60, which spring tends to retract the rods and thus shorten the curtain rod in order that it may fit within the storage bins.

- The storage bins F are hinged to the car structure and fill the space between the partitions 34 thus giving a smooth finished appearance-to the coach. The bins are provided with cable and spring devices'62 which assist the operator in' the handling of the bins, either in storage'or re-.

moval of the contents. These, bins are of ample length and capacity to receive the partitions P, curtain rod J, mattress M, blankets O, pillows N and the member l6, as well as other necessities more nearly of the conventional type having" pipe rails 64 instead of the sheet metal pressing of the other seat which, of course, requires a different type of supporting means 66. Thesupport 66 is formed with an interrupted base. portion 88 adapted to project forwardly to cover the slide rails and provide a smoother construction. The back portion 10 extends upwardly from the baseand carries inclined lugs l2 adapted to interlock with the sides 5 of the seat backs in the same manner as previously described.

In converting the car from a day coach to a sleeper it is only necessary to move the seat backs so the seats face each other, and remove the partitions and back supporting members from the bin. The partitions are unfolded and part S fitted into the channel groove, locked in place and the ledges 38 folded down; then part T is unfolded, placed and locked in position and the ledges 38 thereon folded down. The curtain rod is next engaged with the partition plates by extending the rods 54 and the partition is held firmly in place. The lower part of theseat backs is next removed, the cushions lifted back upon the ledges and the support member placed on the both upper and lower parts of varying widths,

it is possible for the railroad to vary the dressing"spaceiwithout any alteration in. car design. It is also possible to carry. an extra filler portion to give a wider berth if this is desired or necessary.

These and other modifications may be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the Scope of the following claims which define appli cants invention. 7

What is claimed is: r 7 1. In a railway car, the interior of which resembles the conventional railway passenger car,

seats within said car, the majority of said seats being capable of facing in eitherdirection, re-

movable partitions extending substantially from car floor to ceiling for dividing said'car into compartments with at least two seats in each compartment, curtains extending between the partitions to close the compartments, said seats being so constructed as to cooperate with said'partitions to form berths and provide dressing space between the sides of the berths and said curtains.

2. In a railway passenger car, seats within said car the majority of said seats being capable of facing in either direction; removable partitions for dividing said car into compartments containing at least two seats, said seats being so constructed as to be converted into berths by placing at least a portion of the backs lengthwise between the seat' cushions, and bracketson said partitions for supporting one edge of the adjacent seat cushion. 1

3. In a railway passenger car, seats within said car, the majority of said seats being capable of facingin either direction, removable partitions for dividing said car into compartments containing at least two seats, said seats being so constructed as to be converted into berths by placing at least a portion of the backs lengthwise between the seat cushions, and brackets onsaid partitions forsupporting one edge of the adjacent seat cushion, the combined width of said backs being less than the width of said seats whereby space is provided for dressing.

4. In a railway car having seats adapted to face each other and convertible into berths, cushions on said seats, seat backs each having removable portions adapted to bridge the' space between the seat cushions, the combined width of said backs being less than the width of "said seats whereby space is provided for dressing.

5. In a railway car having seats adapted to face each other and convertible into. berths, partitions in said car inclosing at least two seats to form a compartment, curtains closing the compartment adjacentthe seat ends, the central portion of said berth being spaced sufliciently from said curtain to provide dressing space.

6. In a railway passenger car, seats within said car, the majority of said seats being capable of facing in either direction, removable partitions for dividing said car into compartments containing at least two seats, said seats being so constructed as to be converted into berths by placing at least a portion of the backs lengthwise between the seat cushions, means engageable with the seat structure and adapted to interlock with the side portions of the backs to support said backs substantially flush with the seat cushions.

7. In a railway passenger car, seats within said car, the majority of said seats being capable of facing in either direction, removable partitions for dividing said car into compartments containing at least two seats, said seats being so constructed as to be converted into berths by placing at least a portion of the backs lengthwise between the seat cushions, means engageable with the seat structure and adapted to support said backs substantially flush with the seat cushions, and brackets on said partitions for supporting one edge of the adjacent seat cushion.

8. In a railway passenger car, removable partitions supported on the car floor and adapted to divide said car into compartments, said partitions comprising two separable interfitting parts each of which is formed by hinged portions so proportioned as to permit folding of the partition after removal whereby it may occupy a minimum space.

9. In a railway passenger car, removable partitions supported on the car floor and adapted'to divide said car into compartments, said partitions comprising at least two interengaging and separable parts, and a removable curtain rod adapted to be removably connected to the upper portion of one part of each partition whereby said partitions are tied together and stiilfened lengthwise of the car.

10. In a railway passenger car, removable partitions adapted to divide said car into compartments, a curtain rod adapted to join said partitions, said rod comprising a tubular portion and retractable end portions engageable with the partitions, and springs for retracting said end portions, said springs and rods yieldingly tying said partitions together lengthwise of the car.

11. In a railway passenger car, removable partitions adapted to divide said car into compartments, a curtain rod extending between the adjacent partitions for stifiening the same length- 'wise of the car, said rod comprising a tubular portion, headed means at either end extending into said tubular portion, resilient means to retract said headed means, said headed means being adapted to engage the adjacent partition whereby the partitions are resiliently tied together.

12. In a railway passenger car, removable partitions adapted to divide said car into compartments, a curtain rod adapted to extend between 14. In a railway passenger car, walkover seats within the car, removable partitions supported on the car floor and adapted to divide the car into a plurality of compartments, said partitions comprising at least two separable interengaging sections each provided with recesses in thelower portions thereof, downfolding brackets within said recesses adapted when in use to support the edge portion of a seat cushion, and means in said recesses for retaining said brackets within their recesses when not in use.

15. In a railway passenger car, removable partitions supported on the car floor and adapted to divide said car into compartments, said partitions comprising two separable interfitting parts, each of which is formed by movable portions joined together by a hinge, said hinge joints being so staggered as to permit folding of the partition whereby it may occupy a minimum space for storage.

16. In a railway passenger car, removable partitions supported on the car floor when in use and adapted to divide said car into compartments, said partitions comprising two separable interfitting parts, each of which is formed by hingedly connected portions, said portions being of varying lengths whereby the partition may be folded into a minimum space when not in use. 1

1'7. In a railway passenger car, removable partitions supported on the car floor when in use and adapted to divide said car into compartments, said partitions comprising two separable interfitting parts, each of which is formed by relatively long and short hingedly connected portions, said short portions of the partition being of less length than one of thelong portions whereby said partitions may be folded and nested when not in use to occupy a space substantially equal to three thicknesses of the partition. I

LOUIS W. MARTIN. ARTHUR E. LEHMANN. 

